Embassy of Zambia in Paris

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The Permanent Delegation of Zambia to UNESCO, in its capacity as Chair of the Gastronomy Sub-Committee for the 2026 edition of Africa Week at UNESCO, showcased food during the reception held on May 19, 2026, celebrating Zambia’s rich culinary heritage.

Press Statement
For Immediate Release

Zambian Youth Wins Inaugural UNESCO Africa Week Youth Forum Pitch Competition in Paris

Paris, 22 May 2026 – Patricia Mwangelwa Longwani, a 27-year-old Zambian born in Mongu and currently based in Luxembourg, has emerged as the overall winner of the inaugural UNESCO Africa Week Youth Forum Pitch Competition during the 2026 Edition of Africa Week at UNESCO, outperforming six other finalists from across the African continent.

Patricia, a climate policy specialist and sustainable finance professional, impressed judges with her innovative solar-powered, AI-driven smart compost bin designed to transform organic waste into compost while promoting smart waste management and sustainable sanitation practices.

The innovation integrates sensors, adaptive coding, and Internet of Things (IoT) technology to convert food waste into nutrient-rich compost while providing real-time updates through LED indicators and mobile phone alerts. Her project demonstrates how accessible technology can simplify sustainability practices and encourage wider participation in climate action.

Patricia is also the Co-Founder of Triharmony Climate Network, a youth-led organisation that empowers rural communities across Zambia through climate education and sustainable practices. Through the organisation, she has been implementing capacity-building projects in the UNESCO Kafue Biosphere Reserve to supplement Government efforts in the management of the biosphere.

Patricia’s work within the UNESCO Kafue Biosphere Reserve highlights the important role UNESCO Biosphere Reserves play in supporting youth leadership, innovation, and community-based solutions. Her achievement further demonstrates how engagement with biosphere reserves can inspire and support the next generation of sustainability leaders.

As part of the winning package, Patricia has been fully sponsored to participate in the African Youth Climate Hub Demo Day scheduled to take place in Morocco from 10–11 July 2026. The programme includes an incubation hub aimed at catalysing youth-led climate projects, fostering synergies among initiatives, and enabling young innovators to scale up their best practices while accessing resources for project development.

The forum will also facilitate connections among young entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, and engineers to develop low-carbon and technology-based solutions to global challenges. Participants are expected to benefit from peer-to-peer learning, mentorship, expert guidance, and networking opportunities with potential funders and investors.

His Excellency Peter Ngure, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Kenya to UNESCO who is also Chairperson of the Youth Forum Sub- Committee commended Patricia’s innovation and its potential impact.

He urged the Zambia Government to support the patenting and full-scale implementation of the project, describing it as a potential game changer for Africa due to its contributions to sustainable waste management, sanitation, and climate action.

Introduced as a key component of the 2026 Edition of Africa Week at UNESCO, the Youth Forum was held from 19 to 22 May 2026 under the theme, “Ensuring Sustainable Availability of Water and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Objectives of Agenda 2063.” The forum aimed to elevate youth perspectives and promote African-led innovative solutions in water sustainability, sanitation, and climate resilience.

Contestants from Morocco and Côte d’Ivoire secured second and third positions respectively in the competition.

Issued by:
Naomi Mweemba
First Secretary Press
Embassy of Zambia, Paris
Naomi.Ng’[email protected]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Zambia

A Zambian youth addressed the inaugural Africa Week 2026 Youth Forum at UNESCO on May 20, challenging a new generation of African entrepreneurs to move beyond basic project implementation toward building robust, scalable systems.

Chai Fundanga, a sustainability and ESG consultant at Deloitte in France, told attendees that many African sustainability projects struggle to achieve lasting impact due to insufficient intentional design from the outset.

Drawing from her professional background in driving measurable impact within the private sector, Fundanga argued that the gap between a successful pilot program and a scalable enterprise often lies in product lifecycle development. She urged developers to look beyond initial implementation, advocating for the integration of lifecycle planning, clear incentive structures, and rigorous measurement frameworks to ensure their innovations can scale effectively.

Fundanga also emphasized that sustainable innovation cannot rely on implementation alone. Long-term impact, she noted, depends on whether communities can realistically adopt, maintain, and sustain solutions over time making education, local ownership, and behavioral change essential components of successful sustainability systems.

The Youth Forum, a new addition to the 2026 UNESCO Africa Week program, served as a platform for young leaders to showcase projects designed to address the continent’s most pressing climate and environmental challenges.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Zambia

Zambia Strengthens Bilateral Cooperation with Spain through High Level Engagements.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Permanent Secretary in charge of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms. Etambuyu Anamela Gundersen, led a Zambian delegation on a high-level political consultation to Madrid, the Kingdom of Spain, at the invitation of the State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs, Mr. Diego Martínez Belío.

The delegation included H.E. Ms. Judith Mulenga, Ambassador of Zambia to France with accreditation to the Kingdom of Spain, together with officials from Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Ministry of Finance and National Planning. The consultations where undertaken within the framework of the Spain–Africa Strategy 2025–2028.

During the mission, the delegation held strategic engagements with key Spanish institutions, including the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy, Xcalibur Smart Mapping and RAESA.

The engagements reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to strengthening diplomatic and economic relations with Spain and advancing mutually beneficial partnerships aligned with Zambia’s development agenda, while positioning Zambia as a strategic partner

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Zambia

Message from Hon. Mulambo Haimbe, S.C. Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

Africa Forward Summit Adopts Landmark Declaration for Innovation-Driven Growth and Industrialisation

The two-day Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 11 to 12 May 2026, has adopted a landmark declaration aimed at accelerating Africa’s transformation through innovation-driven growth, industrialisation, strategic partnerships, and inclusive development.

The summit, co-chaired by Kenyan President H. E. Mr. William Ruto and French President H. E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, brought together more than 30 African Heads of State and Government, including Zambian President Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, the United Nations Secretary-General, international organisations, civil society representatives, academia, and private sector leaders under a shared vision for Africa’s transformation.

The declaration commits African leaders and international partners to supporting Africa’s transition from extractive economic models toward value addition, manufacturing, and sustainable production systems. It recognises Africa not only as a market of the future, but also as a strategic partner in production, innovation, and global economic leadership.

The leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to sustainable development, inclusive growth, and resilient economies and societies. The declaration further emphasised the importance of partnerships grounded in mutual respect, shared responsibility, and co-development.

Among the key priorities outlined in the declaration are investments in people, skills development, and innovation, as well as powering growth through green industrialisation and sustainable energy. The leaders also committed to strengthening infrastructure, trade, and regional integration to unlock the continent’s full economic potential.

The declaration also outlines reforms to the international financial architecture, recognising the need for global financial institutions to evolve in line with contemporary global realities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In this regard, the Heads of State committed to working constructively toward an adequate realignment of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), quota shares in favor of the most underrepresented countries to better reflect members’ relative positions in the global economy. The declaration further seeks to reduce representation gaps while protecting the quota shares of the poorest countries, including those in Africa.

The leaders also pledged support for countries seeking access to concessional financing under the IMF’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust and the Resilience and Sustainability Trust.

In addition, the declaration commits to promoting blended finance and public-private partnerships, while supporting innovative financing mechanisms and risk-sharing instruments aimed at mobilizing greater local and international private investment.

The leaders further agreed to align investments with climate and development priorities by supporting scalable, bankable, and impactful projects capable of delivering tangible results and long-term economic transformation.

The declaration also places strong emphasis on harnessing digital transformation and artificial intelligence to drive economic growth and competitiveness across the continent.

On agriculture, the summit reaffirmed the need to transform the sector into a modern, competitive, and climate-resilient industry capable of ensuring food security, value addition, and sustainable livelihoods.

The Heads of State further committed to building resilient health systems, recognising the importance of strong healthcare systems in ensuring human security and sustainable development. The declaration also emphasises advancing health sovereignty by strengthening Africa’s capacity to protect the health of its populations and mobilizing sustainable investment in resilient healthcare systems.

The summit additionally identified the blue economy as a strategic frontier for growth, employment creation, and sustainability.

Acknowledging the evolving global security environment and the interconnected relationship between peace, security, and sustainable development, the Heads of State also committed to strengthening peace, security, and Africa’s strategic autonomy.

The Africa Forward Summit declaration is expected to guide future cooperation between African countries and international partners as the continent seeks to accelerate industrialization, economic resilience, innovation, and sustainable development.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Zambia

President Hakainde Hichilema has concluded his working visit in Nairobi, Kenya.

President Hichilema markets Zambia at the Africa Forward Summit

Today, President Hakainde Hichilema engaged with investors, mainly from France, during a side meeting at the just-ended Africa Forward Summit.

The President talked about the need for reforms in both the agriculture and energy sectors.

"Since we took public office, we have injected a lot of reforms in the economy. We have created business opportunities for the private sectors, opportunities which were never there four years ago.

"For example, if you are talking about industrialisation for Africa, energy is an absolute must. For you to talk about value addition in agriculture or anything, energy is absolutely necessary. Most of our African countries are short of electricity supply. Here is the paradox; first we in government need to inject reforms in our sectors to open up opportunities for the private sector," the President said.

He added: "In Zambia, we had monopoly in the generation of electricity but when we came into government, we dismantled that monopoly and created what we call open access, then independent power traders."

"Before, only the State power utility could generate, transmit and supply electricity. But now, anybody in this room is free to come to Zambia and we will give the licence to generate electricity and to build power transmission lines.

"We will give you the licence to trade electricity. All of a sudden, we have genuine private sector business opportunities, which for us are important to increase the generation of electricity. We have set a target of 10, 000 megawatts, which is not even enough," President Hichilema said.

He added that on the other side, Zambia has triggered reforms in the mining sector and is targeting to produce three million metric tonnes of copper by 2031.

"This year we will be hitting the first psychological one million metric tonnes of copper production.

We who are in government need to bring reforms in energy, agriculture, to the table within our countries. In order to support supply of energy to the region we need not to restrict reforms to individual countries. We need to extend minimum reforms to other countries," said President Hichilema.

State House Media